Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Once Chief Zhu left, Xiao s.h.i.+ gave Chu Li a sideward glance and smirked. “How nice, going to the Verdant Cloud Brothel again!”

Chu Li answered, “I have some business to attend to.”

“What business requires you to go to the Verdant Cloud Brothel?” Xiao s.h.i.+ displeasingly reb.u.t.ted, “The Verdant Cloud Brothel is no different from the New Moon Brothel. All of the employees there are beauties. Don't get carried away in there!”

Chu Li replied, “It's about Amethyst Mountain. Miss Yu Qing is a disciple of Amethyst Mountain, hadn't I told you?”

“Oh, that Yu Qing huh,” Xiao s.h.i.+'s face became less tense. She snorted, “Amethyst Mountain is bad news. What do you have to talk to them about?”

Chu Li shook his head and sighed. “It's a long story. I'll explain when I return at night.”

“Go then,” Xiao s.h.i.+ waved her arm.

Chu Li got up and left. He left King An's Imperial Residence and soon arrived at the Verdant Cloud Brothel. After he handed over his invitation, a young Protector took him to an elegantly decorated courtyard — The Qing Yu Courtyard.

Upon entering the courtyard and shutting the door behind him, a find young maid greeted him with a gentle smile. She then brought him to a hall.

The sound of a guzheng playing could be heard from somewhere in the courtyard. Miss Yu Qing was dressed in a peach-colored robe whilst seated in front of a table playing the guzheng. She didn't seem to have noticed his arrival.

Chu Li sat right in front of her before taking the cup given to him by the maid. He then quietly admired Yu Qing playing the instrument.

Yu Qing carried a spiritual energy of purity and the beauty of fragility that made others subconsciously recall their first love. Chu Li felt as though he had returned to his student years from his previous life. That pure relations.h.i.+p in the schoolyard. That heart-throbbing female student.

The sound of the guzheng eventually came to an end.

Yu Qing rested her tender white hands and lifted her eyes to stare at him.

Chu Li smiled and nodded. “Thank you, Miss Yu Qing, for accepting this meeting.”

Yu Qing shook her head. “I would rather meet with Head Chief than interact with some lowlifes.”

Chu Li smiled, “I, too am a lowlife. Sorry to bother you and have you reject tonight's guests. I hope there was no trouble.”

“I'm not sure,” Yu Qing gently shook her head and smiled, “Even if there's trouble, it's Cloud Verdant Brothel's problem and unrelated to me. But Head Chief, why the sudden need to see me?”

Chu Li had always given her the cold shoulder. It seemed he wasn't quite interested in her, which dampened her spirits.

Whenever she was in the crowd, she attracted the attention of men. No matter the kind of men, they would eventually fixate their gaze on her. Even if they weren't that interested, they wouldn't be able to resist. She knew that she had a unique spiritual energy that had men on their knees.

Yet, Chu Li kept her at arm's length from the very beginning. She displayed admiration toward him, but this did not swap him one bit.

She then heard from Sister Bi Lan that he may have his hearts set on Xiao s.h.i.+, the first beauty of the Great Ji Dynasty, hence the att.i.tude. She not displeased at the news, but it meant she could not accomplish the mission of the sect as she couldn't form a connection with him.

Chu Li smiled. “The reason is a matter involving Amethyst Mountain.”

Yu Qing was stunned.

Chu Li smiled. “So, Miss Yu Qing thought that I was unaware of your true ident.i.ty?”

Yu Qing's eyes flickered yet her face remained unchanged. She lightly smiled, “What's the meaning of this?”

Chu Li answered, “You don't want to know when I discovered your ident.i.ty?”

Yu Qing's gaze was fixated on him, rapidly trying to decipher if he was fooling her.

After seeing Chu Li's clear gaze and sincere att.i.tude, he seemed to be speaking the truth. She gently smiled and shook her head. “I don't understand what you're talking about.”

Chu Li chuckled and did not say more. He lowered his head and drank tea.

The house instantly became quiet. The incense burner brought about a faint scent, which when paired with the warm and elegantly decorated house, was soothing and peaceful.

Yu Qing's mind raced as she recalled Chu Li's earlier moves. She finally concluded that he had genuinely figured out her ident.i.ty.

She put down the teacup with poise and smiled sweetly. “Then why don't you share with me how is it you discovered my secret? I pride myself on being such a good actor that others can't tell that I'm well versed in martial arts.”

Chu Li put down his cup as well and sized her up with a smile. His gaze was clear, as though he was looking at a flower. “The first time we met, I realized that something was amiss with Miss Yu Qing. You are not just the top prost.i.tute in the Verdant Cloud Brothel.”

“You have a sharp eye,” Yu Qing shook her head and smiled. “When did I reveal myself?”

Chu Li laughed. “There's no flaw in your disguise. It was pure instinct. You must also be aware of my background.”

“The Glory's Will Courtyard…” Yu Qing softly nodded.

Chu Li added, “I felt that something was amiss, so I distanced myself. To start investigating from there wasn't hard. I have sometimes share exchanges with the disciples of Amethyst Mountain. Now, I wonder which peak do you belong to?”

“You seemed to know a lot about Amethyst Mountain,” Yu Qing was surprised.

No regular person would know that Amethyst Mountain had twelve peaks and would normally a.s.sume that the Phantom Yin Peak was Amethyst Mountain in its entirety. This is because only the disciples of the Phantom Yin Peak would leave the mountain for the past few hundred years. The disciples of the remaining element peaks almost never left the mountain. If they did, they would usually be like her, in hiding.

Chu Li smiled. “I only know that Amethyst Mountain has twelve peaks, which includes the Phantom Yin Peak and Nature Manifestation Peak. I do not know about the rest, so I won't be able to guess which peak you belong to.”

“Ethereal Peak,” replied Yu Qing.

Chu Li slowly nodded and revealed a disappointed look.

“What's the matter?” Yu Qing asked, “Are you looking for someone in Amethyst Mountain?”

Chu Li shook his head. “I just wonder if the Manifestation of Nature Peak of Amethyst Mountain still has an ongoing legacy?”

“Of course,” Yu Qing nodded, “The legacy of the twelve peaks will not end. Are you looking to join the Nature Manifestation Peak?”

She giggled after saying this, her sweet smile was like a blossoming flower.

Chu Li shook his head. “I just want to cultivate the Nature Manifestation Restoration; I'm wondering if it's doable?”

Yu Qing's clear eyes flickered as she looked at him with astonishment.

“Bang!” A dull crash could be heard from outside, followed by the yelp of a maid. “Young Master Xiao, the young lady has a guest!”

“Humph, I want to see who this valued guest could be!” A cold voice said as a flurry of aggressive footsteps were heard. After a few seconds, he charged into the courtyard and pushed open the doors to the hall. Then, he saw Chu Li and Yu Qing.

Yu Qing was frowning slightly as he stared at the young man, clearly vexed.

This young man was about twenty years old. He wasn't exactly handsome, but he had a lean face and st.u.r.dy air about him. One look and one could tell that he was a straight shooter.

His accusing eyes swept across Yu Qing and then Chu Li. “Who are you?”

Yu Qing frowned and spoke with a low voice, “Young Master Xiao, please watch your tone!”

The young man scoffed. “Yu Qing, so you'll lie to me and say you're unwell just to meet a guy like this?”

“This is my valued guest,” answered Yu Qing. “Although I am unwell, I still have to meet with him!”

“Oh, so you're allowed to choose when you see me, but you have no choice when it comes to him. I want to know what's so great about him!” The young man was dissatisfied. “What's the big deal about him!”

Chu Li could not be bothered to reply. He sat there quietly without moving.

This made the young man even more annoyed. He felt that a guy who only knew how to hide behind a woman and was not a real man. This kind of man was not worthy of standing before Yu Qing.

Yu Qing responded, “Young Master Xiao, who he is irrelevant to you. You should leave.”

“I won't leave as long as I don't know who this big shot is!” The young man scoffed.